male perianth of 4 oval segments, about 3 lines long, reflexed upon the pedicel, united and forming a cup at the base; staminal column about the length of the perianth-segments, head of anthers 1 line diameter. Female perianth like the male, stigma sessile. Capsule coriaceous, -in. long, 4-valved, each valve crowned by a lobe of the stigma. Hab.: Somerset, Cape York Peninsula, Frank L. Jardine.

REPORT ON RASPBERRIES, CHISWICK, 1898.

A collection of fourteen varieties of Raspberries were procured from Messrs. Geo. Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, in the autumn of 1896. They were all planted in the coolest and most moist portion of the garden, and with one exception (No. 2) the whole made very good growth and bore excellent crops of fruit in 1898. The plants have also been entirely free from any insect pests.

F.C.C. First Class Certificate.

1. Baumforth's Seedling.-Five medium-sized leaflets on each leaf stalk. Fruit produced in moderate clusters; berries nearly round, deep crimson in colour, fair in flavour. A moderate grower and bearer, with comparatively few spines on the wood.

2. Beaconsfield. F.C.C. 1883.-Not a success at Chiswick, growing and cropping badly.

3. Blanche Souchet.-Five rather large leaflets on each leaf stalk. Fruit produced in small clusters; berries round, yellow in colour, good flavour. A moderate grower and bearer; wood thickly studded with spines.

4. Carter's Prolific.-Five large broad leaflets on each leaf stalk. Fruit produced in big clusters; berries large, bluntly pointed, deep red in colour, rather sweet in flavour; a sturdy dwarf-growing variety and heavy cropper. Rabbits are fond of eating the woody parts of this variety in severe winter.

5. Four Seasons' Yellow.-A dwarf-growing yellow-fruited variety, valuable for its fruiting in the late autumn. During October and November, 1897, it produced a heavy crop of very sweet fruit.

6. Hornet. F.C.C. July 9, 1889.-Five large leaflets on each leaf stalk, the lobes being sharply pointed. Fruit produced in great clusters; berries round, very large, deep crimson colour.

A strong grower and heavy bearer, with a small quantity of spines on the wood. The sweetest Raspberry in the collection.

7. Improved Falstaff.-Five leaflets on each leaf stalk, sharply pointed. Fruit small in cluster and berry, round, deep red, and of fair flavour. A moderate grower and bearer.

8. Northumberland Fillbasket.-Five rather small leaflets on each leaf stalk. Fruit produced in large clusters; berries nearly round, deep scarlet, and of good flavour. A heavy bearer and good grower, with few spines on the wood.

9. Perpetuelle de Billard.-Five broad leaflets on each leaf stalk. Fruit produced in large clusters; berries round, very dark crimson, of great size and good flavour. A heavy cropper and good grower, often bearing a crop of fruit in the autumn in addition to the July crop.

10. Norwich Wonder.-Five very large leaflets on each leaf stalk. Fruit produced in moderate clusters; berries large, deep red, bluntly pointed, and of very good flavour. An excellent bearer and robust grower, with few spines on the wood.

11. Semper Fidelis.-Five small leaflets on each leaf stalk. Fruit produced in very large clusters; berries bluntly pointed, medium in size, deep scarlet, acid in flavour. A heavy bearer, making strong wood covered with sharp spines.

12. Superlative. F.C.C. 1888.-Five large leaflets on each leaf stalk. Fruit produced in great clusters; berries bluntly pointed, very large, deep crimson, and very good flavour. A splendid bearer and strong, vigorous grower, with scarcely any spines on the wood.

18. White Antwerp.-Five moderate leaflets on each leaf stalk. Fruit produced in small clusters; berries round, yellow, and of rather sweet flavour. A light bearer and moderate in growth, bristling with sharp spines.

14. White Magnum Bonum.-A sweeter and improved form. of No. 13.

REPORT ON BLACK CURRANTS, CHISWICK, 1898.

Owing to the large bushes of Black Currants being very severely infested with the Black Currant mite (Phytoptus ribis), and it being almost hopeless to eradicate the pest by hand picking, owing to the great quantity of buds infested, every tree of every

variety being alike attacked, the whole of the collection was dug up in 1896, and the ground trenched two feet deep and well manured. A young piece with roots attached was broken from the old bushes, and planted on the same ground formerly occupied by the Black Currants. All infested buds were carefully picked off immediately they were observed to be swelling to an abnormal size. The following spring, 1897, the little bushes were gone over again early, and all infested buds again removed and burnt, as had been done the previous year. The result of planting again in the deeply worked soil and persistently removing infested buds has been that only a few buds appeared containing the mite in the early part of 1898. The bushes have made splendid growth, and produced an excellent crop of fruit this year. The following are some of the varieties treated as above:

1. Baldwin's Black.-Leaves as broad as they are long; lobes pointed and sharply serrated; berries large, sweet, and produced in long clusters. A good, sturdy grower and heavy cropper.

2. Black Naples.-Leaves longer than they are broad; lobes sharply pointed and much serrated; berries of medium size, a little acid in flavour. Clusters of fair size. A moderate grower and free cropper.

3. Carter's Champion.-Leaves longer than they are broad; lobes very pointed; berries very large, of good flavour, and borne in long clusters. A strong grower and great cropper. A variety called Black Champion, shown by Mr. Dunnett, received F.C.C. in 1881, and is believed to be identical with this.

4. Downley Hall Prolific.-Same as No. 8.

5. James' Prolific.-Leaves longer than they are broad; lobes very pointed and moderately serrated; berries of medium size and fair flavour. Clusters rather short. A good grower but light cropper when compared with other varieties.

6. Lee's Prolific (F.C.C. 1869).-Leaves as broad as they are long; lobes very pointed, sharply serrated; berries above medium size, very sweet, and produced in good clusters. A great bearer and moderate grower.

7. Golden-leaved.-This is of no value for cropping, but it makes a striking and beautiful bush in the early summer; later on the rich golden foliage changes to almost green.

8. Old Black.-Leaves as broad as they are long; lobes pointed

and sharply serrated; berries rather small, sweet, and produced in good clusters. A vigorous grower and free bearer.

9. Victoria. Very similar in fruit, size, flavour, and cropping to No. 3, but differing in the foliage, which is broader than it is long.

REPORT ON PEAS AT CHISWICK, 1898.

Thirty-eight stocks of Peas were received for trial in the gardens, and twenty-five older varieties were grown with them for comparison. The whole collection was sown on March 15 on ground that had been ridge-trenched in the early part of the winter and liberally manured. Owing to the drought the plants did not make such vigorous growth as usual; but the crop was good in most instances, and the plants entirely free from mildew. Two meetings were held by the Committee to examine them-on July 5, for the early varieties, and on July 22, for the later ones.

1. Acme (J. Veitch).-A.M. July 5, 1898. Haulm and pods deep green; pods in pairs, averaging seven large and sweet Peas in straight pods; heavy crop. Ready for use July 3. Height 3 feet. Seeds wrinkled.

2. Continuity (Suttons).-A.M. July 22, 1898. Haulm and pods dark green; pods in pairs, averaging eight large Peas in each; flavour excellent; pods straight and broad; heavy crop. Ready for use July 19. Height 3 feet. Seeds wrinkled.

3. Conquest (Hurst & Sons).-Haulm and pods pale green; pods in pairs, averaging eight large green Peas in blunt, straight pods; moderate crop; height 4 feet. Ready for use July 15. Seeds wrinkled.

4. Dark Green Marrowfat (Johnson).-Haulm and pods deep green; pods in pairs, averaging seven large Peas in straight pods; flavour excellent; very heavy crop. Ready for use July 16. Seeds wrinkled. The Committee wished to see this variety again next year after a little more selection.

5. Drummond's New Pea (Drummond).-A.M. July 5, 1898. Haulm and pods dark green; pods in pairs, averaging seven large